Assembly Manual & User Guide
Express 4M2
Mac & WindowsUp to 2800MB/sDisplayPort 1.2 Thunderbolt 3
Four M.2 SSD
OWC Express 4M2
Contents
Introduction
1.1 Minimum System Requirements .............................................. 1
- Mac Requirements
- PC Requirements
1.2 Package Contents ..................................................................... 1
1.3 Usage Notes .............................................................................. 1
1.4 About This Manual .................................................................... 1
1.5 Front View .................................................................................. 2
1.6 Rear View ................................................................................... 2
Installation
2.1 Assembly ................................................................................... 3
Support Resources
3.1 Troubleshooting ........................................................................ 6
3.2 About Data Backup ................................................................... 6
3.2 Contacting Technical Support .................................................. 6
CONTENTS
Introduction
1
OWC Express 4M2
1.1 System Requirements
Operating System
- Mac: macOS 10.12 or later
1
- PC: Windows 10 or later
Hardware
- Mac or PC with a Thunderbolt 3 port
2
Supported Drives
- Any PCIe M.2 SSD with 2280 M-Key form factor
1.2 Package Contents
1.3 Usage Notes
- For best performance, plug this device into a dedicated Thunderbolt 3 host portthat is not sharing
bandwidth with other devices on neighboring ports.
- Use of the onboard DisplayPort will reduce the bandwidth available to the M.2SSDsand may impact
their performance.
- Does not supoort Dual-Mode DisplayPort (DP++), however it does support Multi-Stream Transport
(MST) in Windows 10.
- All four drive bays are bootable on macOS. SSDs with 512 byte sectors require macOS 10.13 or later
1.4 About This Manual
The images and descriptions may vary slightly between this manual and the unit shipped. Functions
and features may change depending on the rmware version. The latest product details and warranty
information can be found on the product web page. OWC’s Limited Warranty is not transferable and
subject to limitations.
OWC Express 4M2
INTRODUCTION
Power supply
and cable
Thunderbolt 3 cable
Quick Start Guide
1. SSDs with 512 byte sectors require macOS 10.13 or later.
2. Macs with Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 ports require the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter.
Introduction
2
OWC Express 4M2
1.6 Rear View
1. Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports
2. DisplayPort
3. Power Input
1.5 Front View
1. Power LED
Installation
3
OWC Express 4M2
2.1 Assembly
Please follow the instructions below to install one or more M.2 SSDs into the OWC Express 4M2 enclosure. If
you have any concerns please contact our technical support team.
1. Remove the Express 4M2 from its packaging then loosen
the two thumbscrews on the back of the device until they
spin freely.
INSTALLATION
2. Holding the front cover, carefully slide the
inner chassis out of the outer enclosure.
3. Set the outer enclosure aside. Notice there is a fan housing
afxed to the inner chassis; this covers the area where SSDs
are installed, so it will need to be removed temporarily. Set
the inner chassis on your work surface so the fan is facing
upward before proceeding to Step 4.
Installation
4
OWC Express 4M2
INSTALLATION
4. Remove the two fan housing screws (one on each side of
the inner chassis), then disconnect the fan’s power cable
(outlined in yellow) from the circuit board. Set the screws
aside then carefully lift the fan housing off the inner
chassis and set it aside.
5. The positions of the four M.2 SSD connectors are shown
at right in red. NOTE: the four SSD mounting screws are
located opposite the connectors, afxed to the circuit board.
6. For each SSD you wish to install, remove the associated
mounting screw from the circuit board. Then, align each
M.2 SSD with its connector and slide the SSD forward until
it is fully seated. If the drive feels stuck, do not force it into
the connector; remove it, re-align the SSD’s contacts with
the connector and try again.
Installation
5
OWC Express 4M2
INSTALLATION
7. Each drive’s mounting screw as shown.
Repeat Steps 6 and 7 for each SSD being
installed. The image below-left shows what
the device looks like with all four M.2 SSDs
installed. Note that you can use different
brands and capacities of SSD if you wish.
8. Take the fan housing you removed in Step 4 and place it atop the inner
chassis again, making sure that the screw holes on the housing align
with the screw holes on the inner chassis. Re-afx the two fan housing
screws (red arrows), then reseat the power connector (green arrow).
9. Align the inner-chassis with the track in the
outer enclosure, then slide the inner chassis
into the enclosure. If there is resistance do not
force the inner chassis. Remove it, re-align it,
then try again.
10. Tighten both thrumbscrews on the back of the device until you
feel resistance. This completes the assembly process. You can
now connect the evice to power and your host computer with
the included cable.
Support Resources
6
OWC Express 4M2
3.1 Troubleshooting
If your computer does not recognize the drive when it is connected, make sure the Thunderbolt 3 cable is
attached securely. You can also try plugging the cable into a different Thunderbolt 3 port on your computer and/
or trying a different Thunderbolt 3 cable.
If you are still having trouble it is possible one or more installed drives were not seated properly. Please use the
steps shown in Section 2.1 to check the drives and make sure they are seated properly. If you continue to have
trouble please see Secton 3.3 below for assistance in contacting Technical Support.
3.2 About Data Backup
To ensure your les are protected and to prevent data loss, we strongly suggest that you keep two copies of
your data: one copy on your OWC Express 4M2 and a second copy on either your internal drive or another
storage medium, such as an optical backup, or on another external storage unit. Any data loss or corruption
while using the Express 4M2 is the sole responsibility of the user, and under no circumstances may OWC, its
parent, partners, afliates, ofcers, employees, or agents be held liable for loss of the use of data including
compensation of any kind or recovery of the data.
3.3 Contacting Technical Support
SUPPORT RESOURCES
Phone: M–F, 8am–8pm CT
1.866.692.7100 (N. America)
+1.815.338.4751 (Int’l)
Email: Answered within 48 hours
www.owcdigital.com/support
Chat: M–F, 8am–8pm, Sat. 9am–5pm CT
www.owcdigital.com/support
Changes:
The material in this document is for information purposes only and subject to change without notice. While reasonable efforts have
been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, OWC, its parent, partners, afliates, ofcers, employees, and
agents assume no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein.
OWC reserves the right to make changes or revisions in the product design or the product manual without reservation and without
obligation to notify any person of such revisions and changes.
FCC Statement:
Warning! Modications not authorized by the manufacturer may void the user’s authority to operate this device.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference with radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Health And Safety Precautions:
- Read this guide carefully and follow the correct procedures when setting up the device.
- Use proper anti-static precautions while performing the installation of your drives into this drive enclosure. Failure to do
so can cause damage to your drives and/or the enclosure.
- Do not attempt to disassemble or modify the device. To avoid any risk of electrical shock, re, short-circuiting or
dangerous emissions, never insert any metallic object into the device. If it appears to be malfunctioning, contact OWC
technical support.
- Never expose your device to rain, or use it near water or in damp or wet conditions. Never place objects containing
liquids on the drive, as they may spill into its openings. Doing so increases the risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting,
re or personal injury.
General Use Precautions:
- Do not place objects on top of the device.
- To avoid damage, do not expose the device to temperatures outside the range of 5°-40° C (41°-104° F).
- Always unplug the device from the electrical outlet if there is a risk of lightning or if it will be unused for an extended
period of time. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting or re.
- Do not use the device near other electrical appliances such as televisions, radios or speakers. Doing so may cause
interference which will adversely affect the operation of the other products.
- Protect your device from excessive exposure to dust during use or storage. Dust can build up inside the device,
increasing the risk of damage or malfunction.
- Do not block any ventilation openings on the device. These help to keep the device cool during operation. Blocking the
ventilation openings may cause damage to the device and cause an increased risk of short-circuiting or re.
Warranty:
OWC Express 4M2 enclosures have a 1 Year OWC Limited Warranty. For up-to-date product and warranty information, please visit
the product web page.
Copyrights and Trademarks:
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of OWC.
© 2020 Other World Computing, Inc. All rights reserved. OWC and the OWC logo are trademarks of New Concepts Development Corporation, registered
in the U.S. and/or other countries. Accelsior is a trademark of New Concepts Development Corporation. Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other marks may be the trademark or registered trademark property of their owners.
OWCQSGEXP4M2 – 03/23/2020
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